Architectural historian and author Dale Carlson stands in the historic North Farmington Cemetery, which has graves that date back to the American Revolution.
By: Charity Meier | Novi Note | Published March 26, 2026
NOVI — There is a great deal of crossover between what is traditionally thought of as architecture and the art of constructing tombstones and mausoleums, according to Dale Carlson, of Berkley, an architectural historian.
“Much like architecture, gravestones have a sculptural element,” Carlson said. “So, there is an art to engraving them, and there is a history there — the same that we see in buildings. So, there is a little bit of a crossover, but it is even more exaggerated when we go to a cemetery that has mausoleums.”
Carlson, who has penned a book on the famous architect Albert Kahn, said that he often goes to cemeteries to see the graves of architects and other historical figures whom he has studied and finds particularly interesting, including Kahn.
“People think of Albert Kahn and architecture, buildings in downtown Detroit or around the country, and they wouldn't necessarily think of someone like that doing grave markers or gravestones,” said Kathleen Mutch, who organizes the Kaleidoscope enrichment events for the Novi Friends of the Library. “We don’t have any of them (in Novi), but learning more about what he did with them would give you a new perspective on what you might find at a local cemetery.”
She said that her father is buried at Arlington National Cemetery where they have row after row of the same type of tombstones, which makes it overwhelming to visitors and leaves an impression. However, she said at smaller cemeteries, such as in Novi or Farmington, it is the artwork and individual designs on the markers that stand out.
“The people that lived out here weren’t wealthy people for the most part, so putting a lot of time and effort and money into gravestones kind of means more than just marking a grave; it’s representing that person's life and their achievements and their connections to the community,” Mutch said.
Carlson said that every once in a while one finds a mausoleum designed by a famous architect, such as Kahn.
“Albert Kahn designed like three or four (mausoleums) and usually the ones that Albert Kahn designed, they’ve got, like, sculpture on the outside,” Carlson said.
According to Carlson, cemeteries are a great place to go to learn about local history.
“I just feel like cemeteries are really, really great repositories of history,” he said. “And I think some people really find them depressing, because it really reminds you of your mortality, but that is inescapable. It’s part of the human condition. I feel like even if you are not really visiting cemeteries regularly, the thought still exists, ‘Oh, I’m going to die someday and that really sucks,” you know? So, I understand some people really don’t like cemeteries because they are really that reminder of our mortality, but in terms of the value of the knowledge that is stored in cemeteries, especially in our area, it’s just phenomenal.”
“I think that cemeteries have a lot to tell and gravestones are a part of that, a major part of that. So, if you have someone like Kahn taking an interest in gravestones, having someone as successful and recognized as Albert Kahn taking an interest in that makes you curious as to why,” Mutch said. “What was his interest and what did he consider important about those, whether it's a grave marker or a mausoleum.”
He said the big cemeteries in Detroit are especially fascinating to him because of the number of famous people buried there.
“You can’t just walk into Henry Ford’s archive and say, ‘I’m here,’” Carlson said. “But if you want to see where Henry Ford is buried, you can just go right to his fricking gravesite on Joy Road and you can touch it and even leave your own memorial there. So, to me (cemeteries) are one of the most visible and palpable portions of the history of notable peoples’ lives. We don’t need money and we don’t need to know anybody to access it. It is completely democratized for even the most common people to check it out.”
Carlson will be speaking in depth about Kahn’s work on gravestones and mausoleums at 7 p.m. April 1 as part of the Kaleidoscope series at the Novi Public Library. Register for the event here.
“He does a good program, and if you were paying for him, you really feel like you got your money's worth,” Mutch said. ”He’s quite interesting.”